Mamorinuku
by Nindeoronra
Summary: Inuyasha commissions Totosai to make a new sword. Is it for him or for another?


**Mamorinuku**

**Blanket Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi created InuYasha. I am not Rumiko Takahashi. If the above two statements are true, then I do not own InuYasha and I am not making any money from this story. **

_Author's Note: While this isn't nowhere near my first fanfic, it is my first Inuyasha fanfic, and the first fanfic I've written in quite some time. Everything I know about Inuyasha has basically come from the English anime dubs (thank you Adult Swim and the internet!) so all spellings/names/characterizations will be based from that. I've read very little of the manga, so this story is not meant to fit in anywhere with it._

_This little story was inspired by me watching "Swords of an Honorable Ruler" one too many times, and I got suckered in by that whole "someone to protect" thing—foolish romantic that I am. _

_I would like to thank the website: http://inuyasha. which is an episode guide for all the anime episodes, and an invaluable tool in helping me with spelling names and such. _

_I got the title of this story from an online Japanese translation website. The meaning behind it is "to protect, to defend" and I hope I managed to choose the right definition for it. _

_Special thanks to Starbuckx, who saw this first and encouraged me to write more._

**The time frame for this story should be sometime after the anime series ends...**

xxxx

"Totosai? Are you in there old man?" Inuyasha searched the cave where the old sword master resided. "Totosai?" The combined scent of sulfur and hot iron assaulted his nose, but he was determined to find the old man.

"What do you want now, youngster? You've not damaged or broken my precious Tetsusaiga again, have you?" Inuyasha could feel the heat emanating from the back of the cave where Totosai stood, hunched over his anvil, bright red flames spewing from his mouth as he worked, the huge hammer sending sparks of molten iron with every swing.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. Grouchy old fart. "It's _my_ Tetsusaiga, you old fart, and no, it's in perfect shape." He tried not to growl, he really did, but the old geezer always grated on his nerves! If he didn't have such a good reason for being there, he'd...

"I'll be the judge of that, you arrogant whelp! Give me that sword!" Growling for real, Inuyasha shoved the transformed Tetsusaiga towards Totosai, squelching the urge to just chop the old man's head off. He could make it look like an accident. Well, sort of. Damn.

"As I figured," Totosai said, shaking his head and frowning down at the sword. "You've been chopping trees down with it again." He took out a leather strop and began rubbing it back and forth along the edge of the blade, the light from the fire flickering along the sword, giving it an eerie glow.

"Never mind that now, old man," Inuyasha snapped, finally loosing what little patience he had to begin with. "I need you to make another sword."

"What!?" Totosai's surprised yelp echoed throughout the cave, making Inuyasha's sensitive ears twitch. "What do you mean you want another sword? The Tetsusaiga is one of the best swords I've ever constructed! What could you possibly want with another..."

"Calm down, old man. I didn't say it was for me, now did I?" Inuyasha sheathed the Tetsusaiga and plopped down cross-legged on the stone floor, his cheeks suddenly becoming flushed from just more than the heat of the fire. He looked away from the old sword master, focusing on some of the other swords propped up against the opposite wall. "It's not for me. It's for someone else."

"Someone else?" Totosai echoed, curiously, coming to sit down beside Inuyasha. "Before I agree to such a task, I'd need to know who it is for, and what exactly you want the sword to do."

_If my cheeks gets any hotter, he could forge the damned sword on my face_, Inuyasha thought wryly. Eyes darting about the cave, looking for something else to stare at, he gave up and finally met the old man eye to eye. "A few weeks ago, we stumbled across one of Naraku's traps. I told Kagome to stay right behind me, but then Shippo got into some trouble, and she'd used up all her arrows but one, and she ran off after the little runt..." His voice trailed off as the icy cold hand of fear wrapped itself once again around Inuyasha, making him take a deep breath before continuing on.

"Pathetic human," Inuyasha snarled. "There were so many of them, and by the time I got to them..." He ran a trembling hand through his hair. "It was almost too late for the both of them. She'd managed to fight off the worst of them with that arrow, but more kept on coming."

"I see," said Totosai, gravely. "How is she and the other doing now?"

"They're still recovering, but they're ok. Shippo's a demon, so he healed pretty quickly, but Kagome got cut up a bit. She's resting still." Inuyasha's golden eyes glazed over as he remembered Kagome's injuries. She had lost so much blood. They'd completely depleted her first aid supplies, and Inuyasha had to go through the well to her own time to get more. He'd made some lame excuse to her mother about Kagome being too busy patching up the others to come herself, which he really didn't know if her mother had believed him or not, but that wasn't important. He'd come back through with two bags full of supplies, and his arms full of ramen which her mother had insisted that he take.

"I have to make sure you and Kagome are eating enough," she'd said, giving him a small hug, which had made him blush and squirm uncomfortably.

"So, you want me to make a sword," Totosai asked, snapping Inuyasha back from his reflections.

"Yeah, but not just any sword," said Inuyasha. "I need you to make one that'll be sharp, razor sharp, so Kagome won't have to depend on the strength of her arm to attack."

"Kagome?!" Totosai's eyes bulged out from his head. "You want me to make a sword for Kagome?"

"Of course, old man," snapped Inuyasha. "Who the hell were you thinking it was for? She needs a sword, something sharp, like I told you, and something light, lighter than air, so she can handle it." Inuyasha frowned. "She needs something that will protect her, something that she can depend upon, even if something were to ever happen to me...if I'm not there...or something..." His voice trailed off, and he swallowed nervously. He really didn't like thinking about not always being there to protect her, but the fact was, he _hadn't_. If it wasn't Naraku after her, then it was some toad-guy with poison trying to marry her, or some freaky baby trying to steal her eyes, or some pig trying to marry her.

"Damn it, she's always getting herself into trouble," he finished. "I need something that will protect her from harm."

Totosai nodded. "I see." He scratched his beard, twirling the long whiskers around his fingers and giving a pull.

After a few moments silence, in which Totosai scratched more areas and pulled on his whiskers some more, Inuyasha had finally had it. "Well, old geezer? Can you make a sword like I'm asking or not?"

"Oh, that I can do. That I can do. But, I'm going to need something to make it from."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm way ahead of you. Here." Inuyasha rose and grabbed the pair of iron tongs from the shelf next to the forge and held them out to Totosai, who looked at them in puzzlement.

"I can't make a sword from those," he said. "Those are the only pair I have."

"No, you idiot," Inuyasha's patience with the old fart finally broke, and he thwaped him on the head. A large knot appeared right above his eyes, making Totosai resemble his cow, Mou-mou. "Never mind, I'll do it myself."

"Wow, you didn't make near as much noise this time," Totosai said, once Inuyasha had finished. He stared at the small fang Inuyasha held out to him. "Although, that's not exactly what I had in mind, I suppose it will do."

"Just use it!" Inuyasha fumed. "And tell me how long it'll take. Kagome is still recovering, but I want to get some time in to train her how to fight, and we've still got to go after Naraku."

"Well, you certainly know how to give a tall order, but I think no more than five days should have it done.," Totosai said, nodding his head sagely. He held the small fang between his thumb and forefinger, rotating it slowly to study it from all angles. "Five days," he repeated, almost more to himself than to reassure Inuyasha.

"Fine," Inuyasha said. "Five days then." He started for the entrance to the cave, and then paused. "Thanks, Totosai," he murmured.

Totosai had already begun working, so Inuyasha didn't know if he was heard or not.

xxxx

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Damned wench. He'd left strict instructions for her to stay inside. When Inuyasha had left for Totosai's early that morning, he'd made Shippo promise on his life that he'd keep Kagome inside the hut. He'd also woken up Kaede, who'd also said that she'd keep Kagome safe.

"It wasn't my fault, Inuyasha, really it wasn't!" Shippo pounced on him immediately, his little hands clenching his fire rat robe in desperation. "I tried to keep her inside, just like you told me, I really, really, really did, but Kagome wanted to go outside, and Miroku, Sango and Kaede let her come out here, despite me telling them that you said she was to stay inside." At the close proximity of the little kitsune, Inuyasha was glad that the long trip back had allowed the fang he'd pulled to grow back just enough that there wasn't a gaping whole in his teeth. The last thing he needed was Shippo to start asking questions.

"Yeah, I know who's at fault here brat." Inuyasha jerked Shippo off him by the tail, and dropped him back down on the blanket next to Kagome, who'd sat there in silence; her face turned away, her arms folded across her chest. At least she'd had the good sense to wrap a blanket around her shoulders; the afternoon was a bit chilly. He looked her over as she sat propped up against a tree next to the stream, the afternoon sun putting a bit more color to her cheeks. Her usual school uniform had long since been destroyed from the attack, and she was wearing warmer clothes that some of the villagers had made for her, refusing Kaede's offer of the traditional miko robes.

"Well?" He asked, plopping down next to her. "How are you feeling?" She still wouldn't look at him, damn her, and it was starting to piss him off. It wasn't like her, not like her at all, and he started to worry again. Maybe she wasn't getting better like he thought. He put a hand to her forehead, checking for a fever, brushing off the hurt when she flinched as he touched her. He put the same hand to his forehead, trying to judge if she was feverish, just like his mother used to do for him. "You don't have a fever," he said.

"Where'd you go?" she whispered softly.

"Huh?" He looked to Shippo, who just shrugged and stuck his lollypop back into his mouth.

"You haven't been here all day," she said, finally turning to face him. "Where'd you go?"

Inuyasha paused for a moment, thinking. He couldn't tell her about the sword, he kinda wanted to give that to her as a surprise, but he had a feeling she was mad about something, and while he wasn't too sure what she was mad about, he didn't want to make the situation worse by lying.

"Totosai's," he said finally, since that _was_ the truth. "I needed him to look at Tetsusaiga."

"Oh," Kagome said, face flushing. She took a deep breath, her voice rising with each word she spoke next. "It's not like I _cared_ where you went, mind you, it's just that I don't like being told that I have to stay inside, when all I've done for the past few weeks is stay inside, and I'm sick and tired of it!"

"Wow, Inuyasha, she's as cranky as you are when you're injured," Shippo said, his mouth opened in amazement at Kagome's tirade. "What'd I say?" he asked innocently, rubbing his head where Inuyasha had clobbered him. "Kagome!"

"I'm sorry," Kagome said with a small smile aimed at Shippo, reaching out to touch Inuyasha's shoulder. "I guess I am a bit cranky. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Heh." Inuyasha replied. He could understand how she felt; he hated being forced to stay indoors when he was injured. And she was just a weakling human and didn't have nowhere near the healing powers that he had. Inuyasha sighed, standing up, an idea coming to him. He took off his haori. "Here, put this on."

"Why?"

"Just do it, will you!" He waited until she complied, shrugging off the blanket and donning the fire rat. He helped her stand up, ignoring her confused expression. "Come on," he said, turning around and waiting for her to get the clue.

He felt the familiar weight of her as she climbed on, and he carefully adjusted her legs around him, making sure she was secure. "You warm enough?"

"Yes," she answered, her arms grasping his shoulders.

"We'll be back in a while, Shippo," he called after the little kitsune, bounding across the stream and running into the forest.

Nothing could ever feel as good as when it was like this. Nothing. The feel of the wind as it lightly stung his cheeks, and roared past his ears, which twitched reflexively. The warm, comfortable weight of Kagome, the feel of her breath as it caressed the nape of his neck. Her sweet fragrance, combined with the richness of the forest surrounding them rushed into his lungs with every breath he took. He could hear her heartbeat, the blood pounding throughout her body as he made the next jump, her arms clutching him a bit tighter as they cleared the treetops. It was freedom, running for the pure pleasure of it, rather than because he had to. No angry villagers chasing after him, no prey to chase, no demons making them flee for their lives.

Kagome gasped delightedly as a flock of birds suddenly erupted from the forest, surrounding them.

"You still ok back there?" he asked again, his claws clutching her tighter to him, making sure she was secure as he touched down again on the forest floor, and vaulted again through the forest canopy.

"Uh huh," she replied. He tried not to grin as he felt her snuggle against him. "Thank you for this, Inuyasha," she whispered.

He snorted as he leaped again, muscles stretching and flexing with the effort. "You're welcome," he muttered softly.

xxxx

"Inuyasha," Kagome called. "You're ramen is ready." Six days later found them all camped out a full day's travel from the village. Being unable to stall his friends any longer and being tired of asked why on earth he was acting so strange, Inuyasha had no choice but to lead them all back out on the hunt for Naraku. Damn that Totosai. He said he'd have it ready in five days. What the hell was taking him so long?

"Hey," Kagome said gently, coming to stand beside him where he was leaning up against a tree, turned away from the small camp they had made earlier. "You ok?" She held out his cup of ramen, the delicious aroma of his favorite ninja food making his stomach growl.

"Yeah, thanks," he replied, taking the proffered item and grabbing the pair of chopsticks. "You should be resting," he said between gaping mouthfuls.

"I'm ok," Kagome said. "You've been awful quiet the last few days, is everything ok?"

"I'm fine," Inuyasha said quickly. "You still look pale though. Go back to camp with the others and rest. Don't worry about me." Ignoring the hurt in Kagome's eyes, Inuyasha went back to eating. He heard Kagome sigh softly as she turned and walked back to camp. Truth to be told, he really hadn't wanted to leave the relative safety of the village, not without Kagome's sword. He knew they were going to be facing more and more dangers ahead in their journey, and with the memories of Kagome being surrounded by hundreds of demons still fresh in his mind, he really needed to have that sword ready for her.

He snuck a quick glance back at the camp. Sango, Miroku, Kagome and Shippo were playing with those cards again. Kagome was wrapped up in that cocoon thingy, and he nodded approvingly as Shippo cuddled up against her. He'd made sure their pace was slow today, and stopped often for Kagome to rest, despite her assurances that she was feeling fine, and there was no need to stop so much on her account. As usual, he disregarded her protests and told her to shut up and rest, damn it. Inuyasha smiled as he remembered her expression when he'd said that. He thought for sure he was going to get sat so hard he'd leave another Inuyasha shaped crater, but she'd just huffed and plopped down on the nearest log and proceeded to ignore him.

"Did you find out what's been bothering Inuyasha," he heard Shippo whisper loudly to Kagome.

"No, I didn't Shippo," Kagome whispered back. "Your turn to draw."

"The new moon isn't for another two weeks," Sango said. "So we know it's not that."

"I believe I know what's wrong with our friend," Inuyasha heard Miroku state matter-of-factly. "Inuyasha's never really been good having to deal with his emotions…"

"I keep telling him he has a lot of growing up to do," Shippo interrupted. Inuyasha had to curl his claws into fists to keep from thumping the little brat.

"…and we all know how he gets when Kagome gets hurt," finished Miroku. "So it stands to reason that Inuyasha is still dealing with almost losing her. In his own surly way, of course." Inuyasha could just picture the smug look on the monk's face. Lousy, good-for-nothing, lecherous monk, always butting his nose in where it doesn't belong. Not wanting to hear his friends dissect his feelings anymore, Inuyasha bounded off a bit farther into the trees. Not so far that he couldn't hear danger approach, but not so close that he was having to listen to their conversation.

Thunder rolled in the distance. Inuyasha sniffed. He couldn't smell any rain, but that thunder clap was ominous. Just then, he felt a prick on the side of his cheek. He slapped it.

"Ah, greetings Master Inuyasha," said Myoga the flea, popping up from his flattened position in Inuyasha's palm.

"Myoga! What brings you here?"

"I bring news from Totosai," Myoga said. "He's on his way to you as we speak."

"Finally!" Inuyasha growled. "That old geezer better have a damned good explanation for why it took him so long to make one tiny sword."

"Yes, well…" Myoga began, his tiny cheeks reddening as he shuffled his feet. "Part of that would be my fault… Master Inuyasha, you're squeezing me!"

"Your fault! What have you been scheming, you pest?" Inuyasha tightened his fist, making Myoga's eyeballs bulge from his head.

"N-N-Nothing, Master Inuyasha! I went to see Bokusen-Oh, the two-thousand year old magnolia tree from whose boughs the sheaths of both the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga were carved from."

"Why would you go there?"

"The sword you've requested for Kagome—Totosai's done exactly as you've requested and made a sword so sharp that the slightest touch against its blade will cut." Inuyasha finally loosened his grip, and Myoga puffed out a long breath and sat down on the palm of his hand. "Unfortunately, the sword is so sharp that it was cutting through every sheath that Totosai had on hand, so I journeyed to see the great tree demon, Bokusen-Oh, and pleaded with him to let us make another sheath to contain the sword."

"And did he do it?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes, yes, he did. He gave us a bough from the oldest part of him; a bough so thick that it would contain the blade."

"The sword," Inuyasha began, "It's not supposed to do anything like the Tetsusaiga. Totosai better had not put any of his little magic tricks in it."

"Perhaps you should wait and discuss it with Totosai," Myoga replied smoothly. A loud clap of thunder followed by a bright light striking the ground startled the both of them. Inuyasha immediately withdrew his sword, ready for anything.

"Ah, speak of the devil," Myoga said from his perch on Inuyasha's shoulder. It was Mou-Mou the cow, and balanced on his back was Totosai, his ever present hammer in one hand.

"There you are youngster!" Totosai said as he jumped from Mou-Mou and landed. Inuyasha ran to him and thumped him on the head.

"Ouch!"

"Serves you right, old man. I thought you told me you'd have the sword finished in five days!"

"Quit your whinin'! I did the best I could! If you think you could do better however, just go ahead and I'll use this to make me a new set of cutlery." Totosai waved the sword in front of Inuyasha threateningly.

Inuyasha pushed up the sleeves of his haori and growled baring his fangs, ready to do battle with the ancient jackass.

"Wait, Master Inuyasha!" Myoga called out. "You know you don't want to do this!" he pleaded, jumping up and down on Inuyasha's shoulder, pulling his hair to get his attention. "Why not go and fetch Kagome to see her gift!"

Inuyasha growled again, although it was much softer this time. "Stay here, Myoga and keep an eye on this old man, will you? Make sure he doesn't go anywhere."

"Ungrateful whelp," Totosai said as Inuyasha strode off.

"I heard that!"

xxxx

Kagome tried to hide her grin behind her cards at Miroku, who of course had managed to get another slap for trying to grope Sango. During her last trip back to her present time, she'd taken the time to learn some new card games since they'd all played "Old Maid" and "Go Fish" so many times they were all sick of it. So, in between her studies, Inuyasha's incessant cries of "This is so stupid!" and "Why do you have to learn this junk, anyway?", and the days at school, she'd managed to learn poker.

Kagome sighed wistfully. It didn't take long for her to teach them the game, and not willing to mention that a real game of poker involved money, Kagome thought that betting the daily chores would be the most simple and easiest way to play. Of course, within five minutes of learning the game, Miroku immediately suggested that perhaps the game could be made a bit more "interesting" by the betting of clothing. Kagome grinned again as she glanced over at the monk, who was still rubbing the red print on his cheek. Trust him to try to invent strip poker centuries before its time, she thought to herself.

"Hey Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice startled her so that she dropped her cards. "Come here for a second!"

"Well, I fold," she said to the group at large, picking up her cards and placing them at the bottom of the deck. "Figures, just as I was starting to win."

"Yeah, right," Shippo said. "I saw your hand, you had complete rubbish!"

"Oh, never mind!" Kagome said, getting up and stretching.

"Kagome! Come here!" Inuyasha's voice boomed across the campfire. She looked up to see him standing just at the edge of the small clearing, his arms tucked into the sleeves of his haori, and his foot tapping impatiently on the forest floor.

"Coming!"

"Maybe he'll tell you what's been bothering him," Sango said as she passed.

"Maybe," Kagome replied. She thought back earlier to their conversation about Inuyasha, and she couldn't help the warmth that flooded her cheeks as she approached the half-demon. She knew Inuyasha would tell her whatever was bothering him when he was good and ready to, and it was better not to press him; he'd just retreat further and then get all hostile.

"Follow me," he said gruffly, turning and heading back into the forest once she'd gotten within an arms reach of him. "Idiot! You should have brought your blanket. Here." He shrugged off his fire rat and shoved it in her arms, all without sparing a glance at her.

"Where are we going?" she couldn't help but ask, pulling his haori around her shoulders. It was warm and it smelled like him, a comforting slightly musky scent. She squelched the urge to bring the folds up to her face and breathe deeply.

"Just come on," was the terse reply.

"Could you slow down just a little bit, Inuyasha? I can't see in the dark, remember?"

"Heh. Silly human." To Inuyasha's credit, he did slow down and allow her to catch up.

Just up ahead, she could see a small fire. "Who's there, Inuyasha?"

Before Inuyasha could answer, there was a loud whirring sound, and Kagome found herself face to face with a sword. She glanced at Inuyasha, who himself appeared as though he were entranced by the sight of a sword floating in mid-air, right before her.

"Well, just don't stand there and gawk at it, Kagome!" Kagome jumped at the sound. "Grab a hold of it!"

"Totosai?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Never mind that now, young lady! Just take the sword! It's been acting like that since you two came close enough for it to sense you." Kagome stared at the sword in amazement. Still in its sheath, it was shorter than the Tetsusaiga. The hilt was also smaller, not nearly as long, making it appear as though it was made for someone with smaller hands.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered softly, wondering if he thought she should do as Totosai asked.

"Go ahead, Kagome," he replied.

Tentatively she took hold of the sword, pulling it from its sheath and nearly dropped it when it pulsed beneath her fingers. "Did you see that?" she gasped. "It's pulsing!" A tingling sensation ran up and down her arm as she held the sword. It wasn't painful, but she could feel something…

She gasped again as she got her first look at the blade. It was much smaller than the Tetsusaiga. It was also extremely light, so light in fact that it felt as if it were an extension of her own arm. She curled her fingers around the hilt tighter, marveling at how it seemed as though it was made just for her hand. The blade was thinner than that of the Tetsusaiga, even in its untransformed state.

"Well now, I don't think I've ever seen a sword take so quickly to its master," Myoga said in amazement.

"Master?" Kagome repeated, staring at Myoga, who was sitting on Totosai's shoulder, who stood next to her. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Totosai said. "That sword has chosen you for its master."

"What?"

"Wait a minute old man," Inuyasha said, shoving Kagome out of the way as he turned to face Totosai. "You didn't say anything about the sword having to choose her…"

"You of all people should know by now how these things work, youngster! It's how you are able to wield the Tetsusaiga; although it took you long enough to learn its full power. Powerful swords such as these chose their masters…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Kagome finally interjected, stamping her foot to get their attention. "What do you mean this sword has chosen me? You're kidding right? I've never used one of these in my life!"

"Idiot," Inuyasha said, shaking his head. "You couldn't use a bow either, when we first met, but you've managed to learn well enough, haven't you? I mean," Inuyasha lowered his voice, and Kagome couldn't help but notice the sudden flush on his face. "You hit more things than you miss," he added, turning his face away.

Kagome smiled in return. Typical Inuyasha compliment, without it really being a compliment. She turned her attention back to the sword in her hand; holding it above her head and bringing it back down in a slashing motion, mimicking what she'd seen Inuyasha do thousands of times before.

"Is it light enough?" Inuyasha asked.

"It's lighter than a feather," Kagome replied. "Honestly, I don't even feel as though I'm holding anything…it's like it's just another part of my arm."

"Let's see if the old man listened well enough," Inuyasha said, reaching over to pull a hair out from Totosai's whiskers. "Here, hold the blade out."

Kagome did as he requested, and watched in amazement as Inuyasha dropped the white hair over the blade, which immediately split it in half, the two pieces falling silently to rest on the forest floor.

"That fang of yours was just as stubborn to forge as you are," Totosai said, rubbing his chin and shooting Inuyasha a look that could kill. "I about near broke all my tools just to get it sharp enough."

"Fang?" Kagome repeated, feeling a bit like a parrot at this point. "What fang?"

"It's nothing," Inuyasha said, glaring at Totosai. "Come on, it's getting late and we've got to get an early start tomorrow."

"Wait a minute," Kagome said. "Totosai, what are you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious, Kagome? That sword is forged from Master Inuyasha's fang," Myoga stated.

Kagome felt the hot sting of tears form behind her eyes, but she blinked rapidly to keep them at bay. "You did this, Inuyasha?" she asked him softly. "For me?"

"Well, what did you expect?" he replied angrily. "You're always getting yourself into trouble, haven't I told you that before? You needed something besides that pathetic bow to depend upon."

"So you had Totosai make this sword for me?"

"That sword has a name, mind you," Totosai interrupted. "I call it 'Mamorinuku.' I thought about naming it 'Fang of Stubborn Ungrateful Whelp,' but it was too long." Totosai shook his head sadly.

"Mamorinuku," Kagome repeated to herself. She held the blade out again, watching the glint of the firelight reflect on its highly polished surface. "To protect," she whispered.

"Huh," Inuyasha grunted, handing her the sheath. "Come on, we've got to head back."

Kagome nodded, quietly returning the sword to its sheath.

"Just a minute before you go, young missy," Totosai called out. "There's something else you need to know about Mamorinuku."

"What now?" Inuyasha growled, stopping in his tracks. Kagome turned back to see what else Totosai had to say.

"That blade is the sharpest blade I've ever constructed. You need to be extra careful with it."

Kagome nodded, having seen for herself just how sharp it was.

"Also," Totosai continued, looking at her sharply, "For the power to be truly realized, you'll need to keep it at your side at all times. Mamorinuku will protect you as long as you have it within your reach."

"Right," Kagome nodded. "Thank you," she said as she hurried to catch up with Inuyasha, who had continued on back into the forest.

"Inuyasha, wait!" she called out after him.

"What is it now?"

Kagome placed her hand on his shoulder to turn him to face her. "I just wanted to say…I mean…" she took a deep breath and started again, "Thank you." Inuyasha stared at her wordlessly, and before Kagome knew it, she found herself hugging him. "It's the nicest present anyone ever gave me," she whispered between sniffles, wiping her tears away, hoping he didn't see them or the blush that she knew was turning her face the same color as his fire rat.

"It's just a sword, Kagome," he replied softly. "It's nothing to cry about!"

"I'm not crying!"

"Yes you are!"

"Oh, shut up!" she fumed, wiping the last of her tears away. "You are such a jerk." She missed the small grin that Inuyasha let briefly flicker across his lips.

"Come on, we need to get back to camp. I'll teach you how to use it properly tomorrow." And before Kagome could react, he'd grabbed her hand and started dragging her back to camp.

Kagome smiled, looking from the sword she clutched in one hand to the other hand, which was held tightly in Inuyasha's.

xxxx

"So, Totosai," Myoga said as they watched the retreating forms of Inuyasha and Kagome fade into the shadows of the trees. "Is that sword really going to protect Kagome?"

"What?" Totosai gasped, stunned at such a question. "I am a master sword smith! Known throughout the land in certain circles…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Myoga sighed wearily.

Totosai huffed. "I daresay Mamorinuku is the most powerful sword in existence," he said.

"What? How can that be? Even more powerful than the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga?"

"Well, it's simple really. It feeds off Inuyasha's desire to protect Kagome. That is its only purpose. Why do you think it took to her so quickly tonight? It recognized Kagome."

Totosai sighed and walked back to the fire. "It was why," he continued, "I had such trouble forging it. Sometimes it would jump off the anvil of its own accord, as though even then it was trying to make its way to Kagome."

"Does she have the power to wield it?" Myoga wanted to know.

"Weren't you listening? It's not about having the power to wield it! Like I told you, its purpose is to protect Kagome. It has nothing to do with it being a weapon, although I must say, it is a magnificent weapon to behold. Mamorinuku will do whatever it deems necessary to protect Kagome's life." Totosai smiled, shaking his head. "I would love to be there when the barrier around Mamorinuku is discovered."

"The barrier? There's a barrier? Why didn't we sense it?"

"Oh well," Totosai said, either ignoring or just not hearing Myoga's question. "It's time for bed."

"Wait, Totosai! Answer my question!" Myoga waved his tiny arms frantically in efforts to get his attention. The only reply was Totosai's deep snores that echoed into the night.

xxxx

_Enjoy and thanks for reading!_


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